On Sunday afternoon, the Pittsburgh Pirates had two of their top prospects pitching for the Altoona Curve. Anthony Solometo started the game with two shutout innings, before turning the ball over to Bubba Chandler for three more frames.
Solometo and Chandler are both members of the 2021 draft class, which saw the Pirates take Henry Davis first overall, in a move partially to give them savings in the middle rounds. The Pirates used a lot of that money to sign Solometo in the second round, and Chandler in the third round. Both have seen their fair share of struggles at the Double-A level this year, and the Pirates have been adjusting their schedules as a result.
Solometo has been limited to 1-2 inning appearances since giving up four runs in three innings on May 18th. He pitched twice in relief, going a shutout inning each time. His last three outings have been two inning starts. His start on Sunday was the first of which where he didn’t allow a run.
Chandler left his start early on May 17th, after dealing with control issues and forearm discomfort from a break he suffered in high school. He returned on May 29th to pitch four innings, allowing two runs. He pitched five innings last time out, with only an unearned run allowed. On Sunday, he came in for three innings of relief, allowing two unearned runs on three hits, with a hit batter, no walks, and two strikeouts. The best part about Chandler since returning from that precautionary IL trip is that he’s allowed one walk in 12 innings.
Both Solometo and Chandler are in their age 21 seasons, and have plenty of time to develop in the upper levels. Their five combined innings of two unearned runs allowed helped Altoona to a 6-4 win on Sunday.
TRIPLE-A: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
INDIANAPOLIS lost 8-3
- RF Canaan Smith-Njigba: 1-for-4, HR
- SS Liover Peguero: 1-for-3, 2B, BB
- CF Gilberto Celestino: 1-for-3, 2B, BB, SB
- LHP Jose Hernandez: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
- LHP Michael Plassmeyer: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 1 HR
Canaan Smith-Njigba hit his second homer of the season, helping to fuel a three run fourth inning that contained all of the Indianapolis offense. Michael Plassmeyer allowed four runs in five innings as the starter. Josh Fleming allowed four more runs in 2.2 innings of relief, before Jose Hernandez came on to close out the game.
STATCAST HEROES
The double from Liover Peguero was the hardest hit ball of the game, with a 109.3 MPH exit velocity. The home run from Smith-Njigba traveled 420 feet at 105.3 MPH. Jose Hernandez picked up four whiffs on six swings against his slider.
DOUBLE-A: ALTOONA CURVE
ALTOONA won 6-4, led by a combination of five innings from Anthony Solometo and Bubba Chandler.
- DH Dustin Peterson: 2-for-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI
- 3B-1B Joe Perez: 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
- SS-3B Kervin Pichardo: 2-for-4
- LF Yoyner Fajardo: 2-for-4
- RHP Eddy Yean: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Dustin Peterson hit two homers, leading to four runs on the day. Joe Perez hit his fifth homer of the year, bringing in the other two runs. After Solometo and Chandler finished their days, Eddy Yean came on for two scoreless innings. Yean has a 3.09 ERA in 32 innings this year, with 26 strikeouts and 12 walks.
HIGH-A: GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS
GREENSBORO lost 18-5
- DH Joshua Palacios: 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
- 1B Nick Cimillo: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI
- 2B Termarr Johnson: 1-for-3, RBI
- 3B Charles McAdoo: 1-for-4
- LF P.J. Hilson: 1-for-3, BB
Joshua Palacios played his first full rehab game, hitting a two run homer in the first inning after a leadoff single by Termarr Johnson. Nick Cimillo hit his third double of the year, knocking in two runs in the fifth inning. By that point, the Greensboro pitching staff had already allowed 12 runs.
SINGLE-A: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
BRADENTON won 10-2
- RHP Carlos Jimenez: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K
- 3B Javier Rivas: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI
- C Axiel Plaz: 3-for-5, HR, 5 RBI
- 1B Omar Alfonzo: 2-for-4, BB
- SS Keiner Delgado: 1-for-3, 3B, 2 BB
Connor Oliver got the start on Sunday, allowing two runs in 3.1 innings of work. Carlos Jimenez pitched four shutout innings in relief, bringing his best stuff of the season. Javier Rivas hit a two run homer in the first, and Axiel Plaz hit a three run homer in the second, leading Bradenton to a quick 10-0 lead after two innings.
STATCAST HEROES
Omar Alfonzo had the two hardest hit balls of the game for Bradenton, with 108.0 and 107.9 MPH singles. Alfonzo also had a 103.1 MPH groundout. Esmerlyn Valdez followed him, with a 107.4 MPH single and a 105.6 MPH lineout. Carlos Jimenez averaged 96.7 MPH with his fastball, touching 99. His changeup is one of the best in the system, and led to 12 whiffs on 22 swings on Sunday. Connor Oliver got whiffs on four different pitches, led by four whiffs on seven swings against the sinker.
MONDAY’S SCHEDULE
- The full-season teams are off on Monday.
- Rookie: FCL Pirates, 12:00 PM – TBD
- Rookie: DSL Pirates Black, 11:00 AM – TBD
- Rookie: DSL Pirates Gold, 11:00 AM – TBD
